Hydrogen diffusion hybrid port and method of making

Abstract

A hydrogen diffusion port for use in a packaged electronic device. In one embodiment, the hydrogen window is characterized by a substantial absence of plating from the external surfaces of the cover the base. The hydrogen diffusion port is selected from the group of materials consisting of palladium and its alloys, platinum and its alloys and titanium and its alloys The cover is welded to the base, and the hydrogen diffusion port is affixed to an aperture in the cover. The port is affixed by a low temperature process that can be accomplished after the cover is attached to the base to form a housing and the housing is degassed, without compromising the electronics within the housing and that does not require a partial pressure of hydrogen (which may be reintroduced into the materials) to accomplish, such as by soldering the diffusion port into the cover aperture, or by swaging the diffusion port into the cover aperture.

1. A method for manufacturing a reduced-hydrogen packaged electronic device that includes a hydrogen port, comprising the steps of providing an electronic device;
 providing a base; 
 affixing the electronic device to the base; 
 providing a cover, the cover including an aperture; 
 welding the cover to the base to form a housing; 
 degassing the assembly by heating to a temperature in the range of about 100–265° C. for a time sufficient to remove at least some hydrogen from the housing; then 
 providing a hydrogen diffusion port for the aperture, the hydrogen diffusion port sized to be received by the aperture; and 
 soldering the hydrogen diffusion port to the aperture to form a hermetically sealed solder joint, wherein the housing is characterized by an absence of plating applied to the base, the cover and the solder joint. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of providing a cover having the aperture includes providing a cover comprising aluminum. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of providing a hydrogen diffusion port includes providing a hydrogen diffusion port selected from the group of materials consisting of palladium and palladium alloys, platinum and platinum alloys and titanium and titanium alloys. 
   
   
     4. A method for manufacturing a packaged electronic device comprising the steps of:
 providing an electronic device; 
 providing a base; 
 affixing the electronic device to the base; 
 providing a cover, the cover having an aperture; 
 welding the cover to the base to form a housing; 
 degassing the assembly by heating to a temperature in the range of about 100–265° C. for a time sufficient to remove at least some hydrogen from the housing; 
 providing a hydrogen diffusion port for the aperture, the hydrogen diffusion port sized to be received by the aperture; and 
 swaging the hydrogen diffusion port to the aperture to form a hermetically sealed swage fitting, 
 wherein the housing is characterized by an absence of plating applied to the base, the cover and each swage joint. 
 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 4  wherein the step of swaging the hydrogen diffusion port to the aperture includes the further steps of providing an intermediate material for insertion into each aperture, then swaging the hydrogen diffusion port into the intermediate material, and then soldering the intermediate material to the aperture to form a hermetically sealed solder joint, the housing further characterized by an absence of plating applied to the swage joint and the solder joint. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of providing an intermediate material includes providing an intermediate material having substantially the same material composition as the cover. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 4  wherein the step of providing a cover having the aperture includes providing a cover comprising aluminum. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 4  wherein the step of providing a hydrogen diffusion port includes providing a hydrogen diffusion port selected from the group of materials consisting of palladium and palladium alloys, platinum and platinum alloys and titanium and titanium alloys. 
   
   
     9. A method for manufacturing a packaged electronic device comprising the steps of:
 providing an electronic device; 
 providing a base; 
 affixing the electronic device to the base; 
 providing a cover comprising a titanium-based material having an inner surface and an outer surface; then 
 treating the inner and outer surfaces of the titanium-based cover to remove surface titanium oxides; then 
 immediately applying a protective coating to the treated surfaces of the cover to prevent the formation of titanium oxides; 
 then degassing the cover at a temperature in the range of about 375° F.±25° for a time sufficient to remove hydrogen from the cover; 
 degassing the base by heating to a temperature in the range of about 100–265° C. for a time sufficient to remove at least some hydrogen from the housing; and 
 welding the degassed cover to the degassed base to form a housing. 
 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of degassing the cover is performed for a time of about three hours. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 9  wherein the cover comprising the titanium-based material is selected from the group consisting of commercially pure titanium, Ti 6Al-4V and Ti 3Al-2.5V. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of includes coating the cover with a plating selected from the group consisting of Pd and Au up to a thickness of about 125 micro inches.